What’s On This Weekend In Sydney
Lizzie Scorer
Contributor | Urban List, Sydney, NSW
Eloise Luke
Contributor | Urban List
Looking for the best things to do in Sydney/Eora this weekend? There's never a shortage of exciting activities in Sydney to keep your calendar full.
Whether you want to scratch that clothes-shopping itch, settle in with a spritz, look for foodie feed, check out cool art or groove to DJ beats—we reckon you'll find something here to keep you occupied.
Here's what's on this weekend in Sydney.
Friends Of The Clock
The Clock Hotel, Surry Hills | Friday 1 August–Sunday 31 August
Image credit: The Clock | Supplied
The Clock is once again celebrating the best of Surry Hills with the return of Friends Of The Clock, a month-long collaboration spotlighting some of the neighbourhood's favourite producers. This year's limited-edition menu sees the pub partner with Tonton Bread, Bourke Street Bakery and Veneziano Coffee to create exclusive food and drinks available all day throughout August.
Highlights include a meatball focaccia pocket served on Tonton Bread's freshly baked focaccia, fried popcorn chicken with Bourke Street Bakery's signature hot sauce and pickles, and an Italian hazelnut tiramisu infused with Veneziano Coffee. Behind the bar, expect playful cocktails like the berry-forward Pump Up The Jam and the indulgent Veneziano Coffee Club Martini.
Manteiga Nights
Manteiga, Darlinghurst | Fridays and Saturdays from 8 August
Image credit: Mantiega | Supplied
Justin Martins (ex. Bentley, Est. Restaurant, Dinner by Heston) is taking his Darlinghurst café into the evening with Manteiga Nights, a contemporary spin on Portuguese cuisine running every Friday and Saturday from 8 August.
Expect charcoal-grilled dishes, Portuguese classics reinterpreted through a modern lens, and a drinks list built around Portuguese-inspired cocktails, including a Portuguese Tart Martini. Desserts lean into the theatrical, with a reimagined Pastéis de Nata and a Madeira Bombe Alaska, all served in a dim-lit, long-dinner setting with traditional music.
Mr Panino's National Panini Day Giveaway
Barangaroo | Tuesday 11 August, From 11:30am
Image credit: Mr Panino | Supplied
Prosciutto, mortadella and stracciatella taste even better when they're free. To celebrate National Panini Day, Barangaroo favourite Mr Panino is giving away 100 full-sized panini from 11:30am, with three of its Southern Italian signatures up for grabs: the Capri, The Italian Job and the Mortazza loaded with mortadella, stracciatella and pistachio dust. There's no catch beyond one panino per person, but we'd suggest getting there early, 100 sandwiches won't stick around for long.
Darlo Sake Nights At Itadakimasu Onigiri & Bar
Darlinghurst | Every Thursday, 5–6pm
Image credit: Itadakimasu | Instagram
Darlo Sake Nights at Itadakimasu Onigiri & Bar (from the team behind cult sandwich shop Sandoitchi) runs a guided tasting through three rotating sakes, led by a sake sommelier who'll talk you through the stories and flavours behind each pour. Food comes along for the ride too, with crispy chicken karaage, onigiri, fresh salad and a special soup rounding out the $49 introductory offer. It's the Japanese equivalent of a Friday knock-off drink, just moved a day earlier and done properly.
The Dog House
The Netwown Hotel, 174 King Street, Newtown | Friday 14 August to Sunday 30 August
Image credit: Sheep Dog | Supplied
PB&J cocktails, whiskey ice cream affogatos, a fun photobooth, dog-friendly dining offers, a giant treat dispenser, and more are popping up at The Newtown Hotel for a limited time to launch Sheep Dog’s new Peanut Butter & Jelly Whiskey.
Inspired by the iconic combo, there’ll be themed cocktails like the Good Boy, blending the new whiskey with oat milk, vanilla and a jam-and-crushed-peanut rim, and the That A Girl Wooftini, a spin on everyone’s fave espresso martini. For something even more extra, go for the Woofagato: a mini Sheep Dog Peanut Butter & Jelly whiskey drizzled over vanilla ice cream.
Throughout the takeover, enjoy Yappy Hour daily with $15 Sheep Dog cocktails, $10 Sheep Dogs shots and $12 Woofogatos from 5pm to 7pm, plus there’s a full program of events like Monday Quiz Nights, Dine With Your Dog Wednesdays, Drag Bingo on Fridays and DOGUE, a doggy salon pop-up on Thursday 20 and Thursday 27 August.
Western Sydney Oyster & Seafood Festival
West HQ | Sunday 2 – Monday 31 August
Image credit: Western Sydney Oyster Festival | Supplied
Western Sydney is staking its claim as an unlikely seafood capital, with the Western Sydney Oyster & Seafood Festival returning to West HQ for a bigger, month-long run. What started in 2023 as celebrity chef Sean Connolly's push to make oysters more accessible has grown into a serious institution, with over 300,000 oysters served to date and another 100,000 expected this year. Expect celebrated chefs, Australian oyster growers and seafood producers, live demos and family entertainment, all built around making premium seafood feel a lot less intimidating and a lot more affordable. It's clearly working too, with visitors travelling from 25km+ away up 18.8% in 2024 and a further 15.1% in 2025.
Brooki Bakehouse's Sydney Flagship Opening
Barangaroo | Friday 14 August
Image credit: Brooki Bakehouse | Supplied
Brisbane's viral bakery is finally making its Sydney debut—and this time it's here to stay. After years of sell-out pop-ups and endless pleas from fans, Brooki Bakehouse is opening its first permanent NSW flagship at Barangaroo, bringing the full lineup of the chunky cookies that made it an internet sensation, alongside its complete range of baked goods. If you need another reason to head down on opening day, the first 100 customers through the doors from 10am will score a free fresh-from-the-oven cookie.
Laufey A Matter Of Time Tour
Afterpay Arena | 7 to 8 August
Laufey is bringing her dreamy A Matter of Time Tour to Afterpay Arena for two magical nights from 7 to 8 August, and if you've managed to score tickets, you're in for a seriously cinematic experience.
Expect a whimsical castle ballroom-inspired stage, live strings, dancers and Laufey switching between piano, guitar and cello as she performs favourites from across all three albums, including From the Start, with Aussie singer-songwriter Leonie Biney opening each night.
Don’t forget to arrive early to snap a pic at the Visa activation, grab merch and snacks, then round out your concert date with a pre-show cocktail or post-show jazz bar nearby. Check for last-minute tickets here.
Elliott's First Birthday Celebration
Elliott's, Rozelle | Every Wednesday & Thursday In August
Image credit: Elliotts | Instagram
Turning one calls for more than just cake, so Elliott's is celebrating with 40% off everything on the menu every Wednesday and Thursday throughout August. That's food, wine, cocktails and everything in between, making it the perfect excuse to revisit one of Rozelle's neighbourhood favourites or finally tick it off your list. Consider it your sign to book that midweek dinner you've been talking about.
Free Food, Oyster Sauce And MasterChef Stars Are Coming To Manly Wharf
Site 2, Manly Wharf, East Esplanade, Manly | Saturday 8 August, 11am–4pm
Image credit: Lee Kum Kee | Supplied
Free full-size Panda Brand Oyster Sauce bottles, fresh sticky chicken samples, and bucket loads of sample sachets, plus meet-and-greets with MasterChef Australia legends Declan Cleary and Mimi Wong are on the menu in Manly this weekend.
On Saturday 8 August, Lee Kum Kee is hosting its biggest Australian giveaway, marking over half a century of slinging sauce in Aus. 2,000 free full-size bottles of the brand new Panda Brand Oyster Sauce Squeezable Bottle, plus 1,500 sauced-up tasting dishes and 2,500 free sachets are up for grabs from 11am to 4pm.
Declan and Mimi will also be on hand to share their simple cooking tips for adding an instant umami kick to everyday meals. Can’t squeeze it into the cal this Saturday? Add the new sauce to your cart and get chefing.
Brassaï: Secret Paris At Heide Museum Of Modern Art
Heide Museum of Modern Art | Until 15 November 2026
Heide Museum of Modern Art has unveiled Brassaï: Secret Paris, the most comprehensive survey of the Hungarian-born French photographer's work ever seen in Australia, and his first solo exhibition in the country in over five decades.
Co-curated by Heide Artistic Director Lesley Harding, Philippe Ribeyrolles (manager and curator of the Estate Brassaï and the artist's nephew), and French photography curator Emmanuelle de l'Ecotais, the exhibition brings together more than 150 original vintage prints capturing Paris in the 1930s. Expect Brassaï's atmospheric night photography, his experiments with Surrealism, hallmark images of early Parisian graffiti, and intimate portraits from his inner circle, including decades of photographs made in Pablo Picasso's studio, alongside Salvador Dalí, Henry Miller and cabaret singer Kiki de Montparnasse.
Darling Harbour Ice Rink
Palm Grove, Darling Harbour | Until Winter School Holidays
Image credit: Darling Harbour | Website
Sydney's not exactly known for its winter sports, but Darling Harbour's open-air ice rink is doing its best to change that. Set up right on the harbourfront at Palm Grove, it's part school holiday activity, part after-work excuse to lace up with your mates under twinkling lights. Penguin skating aids keep the little ones upright, so it works just as well for total beginners as it does for anyone chasing a proper winter night out with treats and entertainment thrown in. Adults are $27, kids and concession $20 and toddlers $15.
Archibald, Wynne And Sulman Prizes
Art Gallery Of NSW, Art Gallery Road, Sydney CBD | Until Sunday 16 August
[Archibald prize winner] Image credit: Archibald Prize | Instagram
The Archibald winner has just been unveiled, and while you might have missed the grand ceremony, you'll be able to peruse the highly anticipated exhibition, alongside the Wynne and Sulman prizes, at the Art Gallery of NSW. With over 1000 entries, it's one of the biggest portraiture competitions in the country, the final 59 works displayed until mid-August.
The centrepiece, of course, will be the 2026 winner: Richard Lewer's portrait of Iluwanti Ken, a Pitjantjatjara Elder, senior artist and ngangkari (traditional healer), who is also a finalist for the Wynne Prize.
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Can Your Dad Stance Make History? Join This Saturday's World Record Attempt
The Calyx, Royal Botanic Garden, Sydney
This Saturday 18 July from 11am–3pm, ECOVACS is inviting Sydneysiders to The Calyx at the Royal Botanic Garden to help set a Guinness World Record for the world's largest simultaneous Dad Stance. Celebrating the launch of its new outdoor robotics range, the free family-friendly event will be joined by Olympic legend Steven Bradbury, and include live product demos, a free sausage sizzle, a photo zone, and Spin to Win prizes, including ECOVACS products. To be counted in the official record attempt, dads will need to register in advance and check in by 11:30am.
Aria Snack Bar
Aria Restaurant Sydney, 1 Macquarie Street, Sydney CBD | Daily
Image credit: Aria Restaurant Sydney | Supplied
Sydney Harbour’s refined waterfront restaurant, Aria, has introduced a bougie-on-a-budget bar menu perfect for late-night dining. Highlights include a $26 Wagyu smash burger with Section 28 cheese and beer onions, $12 tuna tartare with white soy and chives, plus a $45 cheese platter with four premium Australian cheeses and seasonal pairings. Walk-ins are welcome any time, or book online daily from 8pm.
Cold Dip Club Sydney
Coogee Beach | Every Wednesday, July–August
Image credit: Cold Dip Club | Supplied
If you're keen to romanticise winter instead of hiding from it, Cold Dip Club Sydney is back. The Copenhagen-born community returns to Coogee Beach this July and August, inviting Sydneysiders to swap the snooze button for a 6:30am sunrise plunge.
Held every Wednesday morning, the free community dip is all about embracing cold-water swimming with a crowd before thawing out over a $2 coffee from nearby Bathers Coogee. Last year's sessions regularly drew more than 50 people, proving winter wellness is better with company.
Whether you're a seasoned cold-plunger or simply curious about the hype, it's an easy way to start your day—preferably with warm hands wrapped around a coffee afterwards.
Mechelle Bounpraseuth ສູ້ສູ້ Sou Sou
Art Gallery NSW, Naala Nura Building Lower Level 2 | Until February 2027
Image credit: Art Gallery Of NSW | Installation view of the exhibition Mechelle Bounpraseuth: ສູ້ສູ້ Sou Sou at the Art Gallery of New South Wales, artworks © the artist
Ceramic Indomie, Sriracha and mangosteens are taking over the Art Gallery of NSW and best believe you'll want to mark this one down in your calendar. In Sou Sou (a Lao phrase of encouragement that kind of means 'keep going', 'stay strong' or 'you can do it'), Mechelle Bounpraseuth scales up a stack of everyday pantry staples and fruit into glossy, hand-built forms with an exhibition that leans hard into the rituals around her family table, pulling from Lao heritage to frame food as something deeper than sustenance.
This one is definitely an all-ages affair where visitors can gather on floor mats, leave offerings at a fruit shrine, or add to shelves of reimagined canned goods—a cool way of showcasing how these small acts echo how culture gets passed down, held and reshaped.
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Main image credit: No Flowers Mahjong
Moussaka Thursdays At Etheus
Bondi Pavilion, Shop 4 Queen Elizabeth Drive, Bondi Beach
Image credit: Etheus | Supplied
Anchored around Etheus' claypot moussaka—a generous serving of slow-cooked ground beef, eggplant, and potato baked over open flame—Moussaka Thursdays at Etheus are worth booking in for an end of week feast.
Alongside the main event, you'll be able to indulge in Greek-style sides like their grilled pita with oregano and Greek olive oil, fava split pea with pickled onion and sumac, taramosalata whipped with cod's roe and dill, and a maroulosalata of iceberg, lemon dressing and kefalotiri.
Duke’s After Hours: Adult Happy Meal
109 Cronulla Street, Cronulla | Sundays
Image credit: Duke's Providore | Instagram
Forget sad Sunday scaries—Duke’s After Hours is giving Sydneysiders something much better to look forward to. Available on Sunday nights only for $50pp, the venue’s limited-edition “Adult Happy Meal” bundles together a three-course Italian feast and a glass of wine for a fraction of what you’d normally expect to pay.
The menu starts with a cacio e pepe croquette before moving onto pan-fried lasagne layered with slow-cooked ragù, finishing with a praline tiramisu for dessert. To wash it all down, you’ll score a glass of either Mario Primo Chianti or Rosetta Toscana Bianco, making this one of the city’s most tempting end-of-week treats.
Harbourside Cinema By Pier One
Pier One Sydney Harbour, Walsh Bay | Until Wednesday 30 September
Image credit: Pier One | Supplied
Movie night just got a harbour-view upgrade. Pier One Sydney Harbour is turning its Sunset Balcony Suite into a private open-air cinema this winter, complete with blankets, waterfront views and a custom movie-night trolley.
Launching from 11 May, Harbourside Cinema lets guests choose their own film before settling in beneath the Harbour Bridge with frozen yoghurt, popcorn and an outdoor screen overlooking Luna Park and Walsh Bay. There’s also an optional comfort-food menu featuring things like gourmet hot dogs, loaded fries, cheeseboards and Wagyu burgers if you're leaning into the full night-in energy.
The experience is designed for date nights, celebrations and group hangs, with room for up to eight guests.
Cronulla Street Photobooth
1-7 Cronulla Street, Cronulla
Image credit: Cronulla Street Photobooth | Instagram
If you've got a special moment coming up, or are just keen to have a spontaneous day our, Cronulla Street Photobooth is ready and waiting to immortalise your day in film. This vintage-inspired booth is a recent addition to the local area, and well worth the potential lines. It's just $8 for three photos and two strips (pocket money, really), and a great way to add a bit of whimsy to your weekend.
Attenzione! Sunday Jazz & Dine Night
180 Redfern Street, Redfern | Sundays
Image credit: Attenzione! | Instagram
For a swish night out in Redfern backed by the soothing sounds of sax, dip into Attenzione! Food & Wine. The crew rounds out the week with a Jazz & Dine Night every Sunday. Think pizza fritta, sauce-slicked pasta and a top-tier wine list with the mood set by The Square, playing two sets at 6pm and 8pm. Walk-ins are welcome, but bookings are recommended.
Macquarie Ice Rink
Corner of Herring Road and Waterloo Road, North Ryde | Open daily
Image credit: Macquarie Ice Rink | Supplied
With the heat dialled all the way up this summer, Macquarie Ice Rink’s re-opening couldn’t have come at a better time. An inner-city institution since 1981, the Olympic-sized rink spent most of 2025 undergoing a multi-million-dollar glow-up—and now it’s officially back. Expect a pristine new ice surface, slick tech upgrades and modern amenities.
They also have a disco session every Friday and Saturday night from 8.30pm to 10.30pm. Including skate hire, all session tickets are $32 for adults, $29 for students, $28 for children under 16 years and $12 for children under 5 years with a paying adult.
The Grifter Brewing Co. Happy Hour
1/391–397 Enmore Road, Marrickville | Wednesdays–Fridays, 4pm–6pm
Image credit: The Grifter Brewing Co. | Instagram
Dialling up the summer vibes, The Grifter Brewing Co. has rolled out a sunny happy hour to celebrate the expansion of their solar power setup. The Marrickville legends are slinging $7 cold schooners and $10 chilled wines at their tasting bar from Wednesday to Friday between 4pm and 6pm.
Arms Length Bar’s Weekend Specials
7 Kellett Street, Potts Point | Friday–Sunday, 12pm until late
Image credit: Arms Length Bar | Instagram
Arms Length is bringing special after special, including their Sunday $2 Oysters and discounted Lo Fi wines to amplify those end-of-week afternoons. Seated outdoors among fairy-light wrapped branches, share as many freshly shucked oysters as your heart desires while your wallet stays happy.
The bar is also hosting DJ nights every Friday and Saturday from 6pm until late, where you can sip on happy hour drinks from 4pm and get up to groove soon after. This spot gets busy, so keep an eye on their What's On page and book yourself a spot this weekend.
China Heights Exhibitions
Level 3, 16/28 Foster Street, Surry Hills | Wednesday–Saturdays, 12pm–5pm
Image credit: China Heights Gallery | Website
China Heights is a contemporary and independent art gallery set on bringing fresh creativity to the streets of Sydney. With a rotating exhibition program constantly in progress, you can enter for free to admire and be inspired by the newest artworks displayed.
There's also a catalogue of artworks available for purchase to anyone wanting to bring a piece of the gallery home. Whether it's a creative interest or a search for quality home decor, this gallery should be the next stop on your list.
Main image credit: No Flowers Mahjong
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